The Loddon Players
| Pantomime was introduced to Loddon in 1976 by John Harris, a then teacher at Hobart High School. He wrote and directed the first three Pantomimes, "Cinderella", "Dick Whittington" and "Sleeping Beauty" which were staged at Hobart High School. In 1979, due to ill health, John could no longer carry on with the Pantomimes, but they had made such an impact and had done much to bring the community together, that Derek Loyd and Maureen Larkin decided they must continue. Together Derek,who was Panto Dame for many years, and Maureen wrote and directed "Aladdin" and "Mother Goose" and the group called themselves "The Loddon Pantomime Players". Joan Evans, who had been involved with the group from the beginning, wrote the next two Pantos "Puss in Boots" 1981 and "Babes in Wonderland" (her own original Pantomime) in 1982. Joan Gisborne wrote "Jack & The Beanstalk" in 1983 and Ann Turner "Jack & The Beanstalk" in 1999. Apart from "Robinson Crusoe" in 2010, written by Steve Burton, the rest of the Pantomimes have been written by Joan Evans and updated as the years have progressed. All are based on local dialect. On the retirement of Derek Loyd, Anthony Bunting took over the role of Dame and made it his own! |
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